Manufacture of soles and heels



(No Model.) v

O. L. OOTTON.

MANUFAOTURE -OF SOLES AND HEELS.

N0. 374,042. n Patented NOV. 29,1887.

" UNITED STATI-3s vPATENT* Ormes.

CHARLES L. COTTON, OF DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

MANUFACTURE OF SOLES AND HEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part o f Letters Patent No. 374,042, dated November 29, 1887.

i Application filed March 17, 1887. Serial No. 231,300. (No model.)

blanks from which the lifts are Vto be cut.

The object of the invention is to utilize the small pieces of leather which ordinarily go to vwaste in the manufacture of heels.

cutting-die there is liability of the pieces slipping apart and then 'a defective lift is cut. It has also been suggested to form lifts by havingv them composed of several pieces of leather, each piece extending to the periphery of the heel and constituting peripheral pieces with tongues and grooves securing the pieces together with a centralllling-piece.

It is the purpose of ny invention to prepare blanks for lifts for heels, soles, and the like out of two or more pieces of leather and to secure the pieces together so as to prevent any displacement during the cutting of the lifts therefrom.

My invention primarilyvconsists, therefore, in the method of forming lifts either for heels or soles from a blank formed of two or more pieces, said pieces being rst prepared for union, secured together, and then placed in a suitable holder and subjected to the action of suitable cutting-dies. A

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the various steps of my method independent of any machine, as it will be obvious that many forms of apparatus may be used for carrying the invention into effect.

Figure 1 represents two pieces of scrapleather with the adjoining edges dotted as they will appear after being-cut by a suitable cutting apparatus. Fig. 2 represents the two as they appear after they are united. Fig. 3 represents the vblank in a clamping-plate as adapted to have the lift cut therefrom by the die of a heel-machine, such as that shown in Letters Patent No. 297 ,437.

It will-be understood that While I have shown but one form ,of fastening for the pieces of leather, these tongues and corresponding grooves may be changed in many ways, the sole requirement being that they shall hold the pieces together and prevent lateral displacement during the cutting process. I also desire to have it understood that while the invention is shown as applied to heel-lifts, blanks for soles may be arranged in the same way, this application coming within the scope of my invention.

As shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the coincident edges of leather strips or pieces are prepared for union with each other, the rough edges being cutoff and tongues of any desired shape formed on the edge of one of the pieces and grooves corresponding thereto on the edge of the other of the pieces. These pieces are then united, as shown in Fig. 2, which thus completes the blank. The blank thus prepared is then placed within a clamp, as in Fig. 3, and t-hese clamps may be rapidly handled by the operator in cutting the lifts. Instead of cutting the lifts out by a machine, of course an ordinary hand-die may be used.

By this method of preparing ablank for the lifts out of what would otherwise be waste material it will be seen that a great saving is obtained, as this material is very cheap compared to the leather of a size sufficient to cutwhole lifts, while there isl but little difference in the lift made from the pieces from that made from whole stock. It will also be noticed that in this manner the scraps may. be handled rapidly in forming the blanks, and the blanks thus formed require no eXtra care in handling, but may be manipulated precisely as if they were composed of whole stock.

I claim as my invention- The described method of forming heel-lifts from two or more pieces of leather7 consisting in first preparing the pieces for union with CHAS. L. COTTON.

5 each other,uniting them, placing them in a suit- Witnesses:

able clamp, and finally cutting the lift there- F. L. MIDDLETON, from, substantially as described. i A. P. BROWN.

l In testimony whereof I have signed my name i to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

